Corhampton Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Corhampton Church |
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Viewed from the north
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| 50°58′44.76″N 1°07′56.82″W / 50.9791000°N 1.1324500°W | |
| OS grid reference | SU 610 203 |
| Location | Corhampton, Hampshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founded | c. 1020 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 6 March 1967 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Portsmouth |
Corhampton Church is a very old church in the small village of Corhampton, England. It's an Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. This special building was built a long, long time ago, around the year 1020! It's so old and important that it's listed as a Grade I building. This means it's one of the most historically important buildings in the country.
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What Makes Corhampton Church Special?
This ancient church sits on a small hill right by the River Meon. It was built around 1020. Experts describe it as an "almost complete two-cell Saxon church." This means it still looks much like it did when the Saxons built it.
Old Features Inside and Out
When you visit, look for a stone sundial on the outside. It's to the right of the south porch. This isn't just any sundial; it's a Saxon tide dial. People used it to tell the time of day.
Inside the church, you can see the original Saxon chancel arch. This is a beautiful stone arch that separates the main part of the church from the altar area.
In the south-east part of the chancel, there's a stone seat. People think this seat is from the 13th century. The vestry (a room for clergy) and the south porch were added later. The wooden rail around the altar is from the 1700s. There's also a gallery at the back, which was built in the 1800s.
How the Church Was Restored
The church has been carefully looked after over the years. In 1855, the east end of the chancel was rebuilt with bricks. More work was done in 1905 by a famous architect named Sir Thomas Graham Jackson. He fixed the top of the west gable, adding a cool brick and flint pattern. The church had more restoration work done in 1999 to keep it in good shape.
Hidden Wall Paintings
Inside Corhampton Church, there are very old wall paintings. They are quite faded now, but they were found in the 1800s. You can find them in a few places:
- On the west side of the chancel arch: This painting shows a scene from the Garden of Eden. It depicts Adam and Eve being sent out of the garden.
- On the north, south, and west walls of the chancel: These paintings tell stories about the life of St Swithun. He was a famous English saint.
See also
